Businesswoman opens second village shop

A LANCASHIRE businesswoman has branched out after opening a second village convenience store.

Sandra Cross, who owns a shop in Garstang has now re-opened a store in Catterall, after agreeing six figure loan from Lloyds TSB Commercial.
 
Her new venture, the Cock Robin Convenience Store, is on the site of a previous village shop on Cock Robin Lane, which closed around two years ago.
 
She bought the site in November last year and has spent the last three months renovating it.  The store, which is the only one in the village and is about two miles from the nearest supermarket. The opening has created three jobs.
 
Sandra Cross said: “It was a shame when the previous village shop closed a few years ago, leaving Catterall’s residents without anywhere to buy groceries and newspapers within walking distance.
 
“The Garstang shop has been very popular with locals, with turnover increasing by around 300% in the short time it’s been open, so we decided to offer a similar service here, by simply offering people what they want, and opening early to cater for people on their way to work.
 
“The support from Lloyds TSB Commercial goes far beyond simply providing the funds to purchase the building – the relationship manager Ian Hughes has been an invaluable source of business guidance, and if there’s something he can’t solve himself he’ll always put me in touch with someone who can.”
 
Ian Hughes, relationship manager with Lloyds TSB Commercial, added: “When Sandra approached me with her business plan for the new shop, I knew from experience that she would be more than capable of making it as much of a success as the Hazelhurst Convenience Store.”